Coronavirus: Omicron is already the predominant variant in the USA – SME.sk

WASHNINGTON. Fast – spreading coronavirus omicron variant is now the predominant variant in the United States, accounting for 73.2 percent of new cases last week for which data are available.

The health authorities, who were referred to by the AFP news agency, informed about it on Monday.

The information, confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is based on data from the week ending Saturday, December 18th. During the previous week, omicron accounted for only 12.6 percent of infections in the United States.

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Omicron already accounts for more than 90 percent of new cases in the Northwest (in a region called the Pacific Northwest) and most cases in the South and parts of the Midwest, the CDC said.

The news came before the US president’s speech on Tuesday Joe Biden about coronavirus. White House press secretary Jen Psaki has already announced that the president has no plans to “close the country” and deal with a new wave of cases.

“This speech is intended to explain the benefits of vaccination directly and clearly to Americans. We are going to improve its availability and strengthen testing,” Psaki said.

Fauci warns

Pandemic chief adviser to the United States Anthony Fauci warned on Sunday about the unhappy winter as the omicron variant triggered a rapid new wave of infection around the world.

“With the omikron, it will be difficult for weeks to months,” Fauci added.

Despite indications that omicron is no more dangerous than the world’s still dominant variant delta, initial data indicate that it may be more contagious and possibly more resistant to vaccines.

They cancel events

Omikron was first reported in November in Republic of South Africa (South Africa) and has since been found in dozens of countries, weakening hopes that the world has had the worst phase of the pandemic.

Hospitals are very busy all over the United States, with long rows of people standing in front of testing centers sports even fun events are canceled one after another.

Getting the coronavirus under control has proven to be a difficult task in a country where vaccinations and drapes have become disruptive political issues and where federal government regulations end in lengthy legal battles.

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